Cassidy K to shoot music video in Kinston next month

Published: Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 12:21 AM.

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“I’ve been singing since I was 2, and have been doing it professionally since I was 7,” Kennedy said.

Cassidy’s mother, Crystal, saw the potential in her daughter at a young age.

“When she was about 5, I thought it was time to take her to get voice lessons,” Crystal Kennedy said. “We knew immediately she could do something with it. Finally, one day she said ‘Mom, I want to be on stage,’ and we ended up in Raleigh for Actors, Talent and Modeling in Christ. They had us in before we could leave the building.”

Cassidy has been in commercials, but didn’t have her first professional album available to the public until September. During her time at Icon, Cassidy worked on the project last summer, finishing in August.

The changes in Cassidy’s singing voice between last year and now have been evident to her mother.

“Her voice has changed since then, and has gotten fuller,” Crystal said. “As long as she can keep working and meeting the right people, she’ll do fine.”

Michael Lockridge, who will be directing the video, has been impressed with Cassidy’s ability.

A young, local musician is making plans on becoming a pop icon, starting in the city she lives in.

Cassidy Kennedy, 9, will have a music video done for her single “Mean Ol’ Bully” off her CD, entitled “Super Girl,” sometime in late November or early December.

The CD itself can be purchased at Hallmark at Vernon Park Mall. Carolyn Harrell, the store manager, said Hallmark sells Cassidy’s CDs because she believes the store had a part in the singer’s rise.

“Some years ago, we had a stage outside of the store,” Harrell said. “We had the Easter Bunny and karaoke and let kids walk by and sing. Cassidy sang out here and we were really impressed.

“From Day 1, we saw the potential in her. She’s a sweet girl and we would like to see her go places, especially with her being local. There aren’t a lot of local singers doing things like this, and we would like her to go far.”

Kennedy, who goes by the stage name of Cassidy K, worked with Icon Studios in Atlanta to record the CD. The company has recorded artists such as T.I. and Young Jeezy, along with child stars like Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez.

Kennedy has been singing most of her life, but has just started to get into the music industry.

“I’ve been singing since I was 2, and have been doing it professionally since I was 7,” Kennedy said.

Cassidy’s mother, Crystal, saw the potential in her daughter at a young age.

“When she was about 5, I thought it was time to take her to get voice lessons,” Crystal Kennedy said. “We knew immediately she could do something with it. Finally, one day she said ‘Mom, I want to be on stage,’ and we ended up in Raleigh for Actors, Talent and Modeling in Christ. They had us in before we could leave the building.”

Cassidy has been in commercials, but didn’t have her first professional album available to the public until September. During her time at Icon, Cassidy worked on the project last summer, finishing in August.

The changes in Cassidy’s singing voice between last year and now have been evident to her mother.

“Her voice has changed since then, and has gotten fuller,” Crystal said. “As long as she can keep working and meeting the right people, she’ll do fine.”

Michael Lockridge, who will be directing the video, has been impressed with Cassidy’s ability.

“She has her own style, but if I had to compare her to anyone, I would have to say Selena Gomez,” Lockridge said. “She has a bit of a Disney feel to her.”

Lockridge wanted to have the video shot in Kinston because of Cassidy’s local ties.

“This is a great start to her and we can utilize resources,” Lockridge said. “We can have her friends and family members participate in her first major project. This is a way to tell the community ‘I lived here, I’m filming this video here and I won’t forget this city.’ ”

Cassidy Kennedy has been making moves outside of the city. Kennedy has an agent in Atlanta, Wilmington and New York City, and has been working with a company in Los Angeles, amongst other things.

“We spend about 3 or 4 months in New York City,” Crystal Kennedy said. “There, she does a lot of things like commercials.”

Even though Cassidy spends a lot of time working on her craft, the Moss Hill Elementary fourth-grader is able to take care of her schoolwork in and out of the classroom.

“I get mostly As with very high Bs, so I guess I’m an A-B student,” Cassidy said. “I’ll catch up though.”

Cassidy said she’s truly excited for the opportunity to do her first video.

“I can’t wait until it starts,” she said. “I’m going to be in a video, people in Kinston will see it, people will buy the CDs and I can go to L.A.”

Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.

To get a copy of Cassidy K’s ‘Super Girl,’ go to Hallmark at Vernon Park Mall. The cost of the CD is $15.